Tigress for Two (6 page)

“The guards will keep them safe. We’ll stay and deal with whoever dares to attack our home.” Raja took the gun from Taber’s hand, as Felix rushed the women out of the room.

Victor’s eyes fluttered open, finally surfacing from the drugs. Hatred, kindling like fire, heated his eyes as he strained against the chains. “They’re coming for me. You’ll never see tomorrow.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. The few supporters you have will easily be disposed of, but it’s you who won’t see tomorrow.” Raja raised the gun and shot Victor in the chest. His body shook as the lethal dosage took effect. His breathing grew ragged, and then he collapsed.

Taber stared at a lifeless Victor, and breathed a sigh of relief. Victor would never harm another. Their world would now be a little safer.

“Small victory for us, but Pierce is still out there, and we still have the rogues to deal with.” Raja let the empty gun fall to the floor and stepped to the door. “Let’s go kick some ass.”

* * *

Kallie watched the men climb down the mountainside. She could do nothing to stop them, but keep the guards apprised of the rogues’ progress. She slipped the small capsule that she kept around her neck between her fingers, enjoying its soothing coolness. It was the one insurance she had that she’d never again endure the same torture she had before. She’d never again be someone’s pet, with no will of her own. She would die before that happened.

Chapter Nine

Taber and the Elders had just stepped out of the cabin when Kallie’s voice crackled in his ear piece.

“They’re here.”

He knew, from the way the guards around them were bracing for action, that she used the open communication so everyone with ear buds heard her warning. “I’d advise you, go to your mates.” Taber said. “You’re Elders, you need to be protected as well.”

“That’s not how we operate. When our clan is in trouble, we stand to defend it. Our women and children will be protected by all able male bodies…” Ty’s words were cut off by gunshots at the main gate.

They ran to the gate, no one shifting yet. For security, they fought in their human forms, and would shift only if necessary, hiding their second nature as much as possible.

Taber ran past command central, hoping Kallie had taken his advice to stay safe.

The ground guards defended the main gate as a group of rogues attacked from the other side. “One got through. He broke free before I could detain him.” Lance gave them a quick status update as they neared.

“Damn it.” Taber frowned. “Kallie, do you have a mark on the threat?”

“Searching now,” Kallie answered. “Shit! He’s coming straight…” Her words where interrupted by the sound of a loud crash and a door splintering. Her scream filled his ear.

He turned to the Elders. “He’s at command central.”

“Ty go with Taber. I’ll help here.” Raja waved for them to leave.

“Do you think the rogue knew the layout and chose command central for a reason?” Taber ran even steps with Ty.

“How would they have found out about our layout?” Ty shook his head. “Damn it! It had to be Chris! He betrayed his own clan to assist Pierce when Tabitha first arrived in Alaska. He would have given the rogues the information to attack our compound, in order to save his sister. When we get through this fight, we’ll send a team to Georgia to eliminate him. He won’t get away with risking my mate and this clan again.”

They slowed as they approached command center. The door lay in pieces on the floor, and a tiger’s roar ripped through the air. Taber rushed past Ty, running full speed toward the door, hoping he wasn’t too late to save Kallie.

Inside, Mark, in tiger form, was lying on the floor bleeding and unconscious. The rogue searched the monitors. Taber attacked, leaping in the air to pounce on the rogue and knock him to the floor. Wrapping a hand around the rogue’s throat, Taber began squeezing the life from him. But the rogue wasn’t shifting. Loosened his grip, he realized the rogue was human. “What do you want?”

“I was paid to lead the team. To find two women.” The man’s fingers clawed at Taber’s hands around his neck.

“Who are you?” Ty glared at the man as he bent to check the pulse at Mark’s neck. “And what have you done with the woman that was here?”

“My name is Kenneth. I was Special Forces until I found out about your kind. The woman…she took off.” He pointed to the window. “I wouldn’t have hurt her.”

Ty raised an eyebrow. “Your actions don’t speak very well, considering Mark’s condition.”

“He attacked me first. I know shifters can heal from gunshot wounds.” He glanced back at Taber. “If you’d let me up, I’ll explain why I’m here and maybe we can work this out. I didn’t want to shoot him or anyone else.”

“You’ve got another thing coming if you think I’m going to let you free. Talk, and then we’ll decide what to do with you.” Taber released the man’s neck, but pushed him over and held both arms behind his back.

“I told you, I was hired to find two women. Sisters, taken against their will. If you check my jacket pocket there are pictures of these women.”

Taber reached in and pulled out two photographs.
Kallie and Tabitha
. “What do you want with them? Who hired you?”

“Their husbands. They want their wives back.”

Ty laughed. “Considering one of those women is my mate, I find your story hard to believe.”

“The other woman is my mate.” Taber’s rage boiled in the pit of his stomach. He tightened his hold on the man’s arms.
How dare he threaten what’s mine?

“These men had marriage licenses,” Kenneth said.

“Those can be faked.” Ty squatted over the man. “Who hired you?”

“Pierce and another man. I never met the second guy. He was out of town on business.”

“You didn’t find it odd that the man was doing business while his wife is missing?” Taber was tired of the games. This man couldn’t be a stupid as he was trying to make believe. “Why did you take this job?”

Kenneth’s eyes widened. “Yes, there were a number of questionable things about this job, but Pierce said the other man was trying to make reservations to return, but the flights were booked. I didn’t think to question him. He had men ready, all I had to do was lead them.” The man grimaced at the pain Taber inflicted when he tightened his grip. “Money! I did the job for the money. My sister’s daughter has cancer. They need to pay her hospital bills. I did it for them. This one job allowed me to pay off their bills and cover the rest of her treatments.”

With the human’s blubbering confession, Taber released him and stripped away the soldier’s weapons before he stood. “If you try anything, you’ll regret it.”

Kenneth lay on the floor, rubbing his neck and arms. “If I could see the women, to know the truth, I’ll leave peacefully.”

Taber stepped forward, pointing a gun to his face, ready to kill the man for the suggestion.

“Not going to happen. Do you think we’re that stupid?” Ty laughed.

Raja entered the room, blocking the light from the entry. “He’s human?”

“Special forces after Tabitha and Kallie,” Taber explained.

“Why Kallie?”

“Supposedly they were kidnapped. That’s all he knows. I don’t understand how Kallie plays into all this.” Ty leaned against the desk. “Where is she?”

“I haven’t seen her. The situation outside has been dealt with. What should we do with him?” Raja paused next to Taber.

“We’ll detain him in one of the cells, until we’ve made sure everyone’s safe. Someone needs to find Kallie.” Ty scanned the monitors. “I can’t see her here. I think it’s highly unlikely she went back to her room. She isn’t one to leave her post. We’ll get a tracker to find her.”

“If you don’t need me to deal with this rogue, I’ll find Kallie.” Taber wasn’t one of the clan members who needed permission, but he sought Ty’s consent out of respect.

“Go. Raja and I can handle the situation here. Contact me when you find Kallie. I want to know why she ran.” Ty then turned to Raja. “Get the human in a cage. We need Galan to look at Mark.”

Taber left to find Kallie. Once outside, he closed his eyes, leaning his head back to catch her scent. It didn’t take long for him to get a fix on her, but her scent was different from the normal sweet smell of morning. It was strongly mixed with fear. His Kallie was terrified. Guided by his nose, the faster he ran as her scent grew stronger.
Maybe someone else got loose in the compound?
He sniffed the air, but didn’t catch the scent of anyone else. Nothing unfamiliar and no one followed her.

He neared the back of the compound, closing in on the creek that only hours ago he promised his bear a rump. Her smell filled his senses. He turned around a corner and found her lying in the snow.

“What the hell?” He ran to her side, searching for any sign of injury. He found nothing. Her jeans and sweater were wet, but unstained with blood. She was unconscious.

Not caring about the snow, he dropped to his knees, wrapping her in his arms. A chain, she wore around her neck, slipped out from the collar of her sweater. The small capsule, which hung on the chain, was open. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with her scent, and that’s when he smelled it. Poison! Painless, but enough do the job.

“Damn it, Kallie, why?” He gently shook her body, trying to wake her, but she didn’t stir. He checked her pulse. She was still breathing so it wasn’t too late.

He stood and pressed his ear bud. “Taber here. I need a healer.”

“Come to my quarters.” Bethany’s voice filled his ear.

“Hang in there, Kallie.” He lifted her weak body in his arms and sprinted back the way he came.

Chapter Ten

Taber laid Kallie on a sofa, holding her hand and moving only far enough away to allow Bethany access. His head pounded. He hated being useless while his mate lay there dying.

“What happened?” Bethany knelt next to the sofa.

“Poison. I think she took it herself. Can you heal her?”

Bethany didn’t answer. She slid Kallie’s wet sweater up to her breasts and placed her hands on the bare flesh of Kallie’s stomach. Closing her eyes, Bethany began to focus. “I can help her, but she’s going to suffer. My healing will counteract the poison and then leave her ill for the next few hours. Unless Galen, can…”

Galen placed his hand on Bethany’s shoulder “No, my healing would do the same. You’re becoming a wonderful healer. Go ahead, I’ll supervise.”

Galen had been training Bethany’s healing abilities since arriving in Alaska. She was picking up quickly, surprising everyone since she was human and up until a few weeks ago, didn’t know she had any abilities.

“May I, Taber?” Bethany’s green eyes glanced up at him, as if seeking his approval.

He frowned, completely baffled. “Why would I have a say in her well-being? She’s one of your tigers.”

“I feel she’s your mate.” She held up her hand when Taber started to shake his head. “Don’t deny it. As a healer, I can feel the mating current running within a body. The mating process isn’t complete yet, but it has started. You’ll be mated.”